Contents [hide]

Sheil History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Sources

Sheil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Sheil family

The surname Sheil was first found in Berwickshire where the name was local in origin. The Middle English version of the name was "schele" or "skali" which was "used first of a shepherd's summer-hut or small house." This distinguished Clan took their name from the reivers small houses or huts which abounded on the eastern English/Scottish border. 1

Robbie Burns included the line "the swallow jinkin around my shiel." North Shields and South Shields located on the north bank of the River Tyne and the mouth of the same river date back to 1225-1245, 2 but there is no record of any relationship to the surname.

"Thomas of le Scheie was juror on an inquisition made at Traqueyr, 1274. William Schelle of the county of Edeneburk rendered homage [to King Edward I of England in] 1296. Symon de Scheie was dean of guild in Edinburgh, 1403, and William de Schellis, presbyter and notary public in the diocese of Glasgow, 1448. Gilbert Schell witnessed sasine of lands of Walle, 1469, and John Scheill was citizen of Glasgow, 1527. Andro Cheill or Cheild was tenant of land of West Scheill, 1515, and Andro Scheill, tenant in barony of Glasgow in same year. Alexander Sheilds or Shields (1660-1700), the Covenanter, wrote his name 'Shells.' " 3

Just over the border in northern England, we found Robert Scild in the Pipe Rolls for Yorkshire in 1206 and later, William Sheld in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1267. Here the name is thought to have probably denotes "a maker of shields. " 4

Early rolls also included Roger ate Schelds in the Subsidy Rolls for Surrey in 1332, Geoffrey le Seldmakere in Essex in 1285 and Adam Scheldman in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 4

Early History of the Sheil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sheil research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1274, 1296, 1403, 1515, 1660, 1700, 1702, 1707, 1753, 1783 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Sheil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheil Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Shiel, Shiell, Shiels, Shiells, Sheil, Sheill, Sheils, Sheills, Shield, Shields, O'Shiel, O'Shields and many more.

Early Notables of the Sheil family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

William Schelle of Edinburgh; and Alexander Shields or Sheilds (1660-1700), a Scottish nonconformist minister, activist, and author from Earlston, Berwickshire

Migration of the Sheil family to Ireland

Some of the Sheil family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 118 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheil migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sheil Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Lawrence, Catherine, and Jane Sheil (l), who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1850

Sheil migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Sheil Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Patrick Sheil, (b. 1806), aged 25, Irish farm servant who was convicted in County Laois (Queen's County), Ireland for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Captain Cook" on 5th November 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mary A. Sheil, aged 20, a cook, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Coromandel" 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Sheil (post 1700) +

Bernard James Sheil (1888-1969), American Auxiliary Roman Catholic Bishop of Chicago
Walter N. "Wally" Sheil (1929-2002), American education administrator and politician
Dennis R. Sheil, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Westchester County 1st District, 1875 7
Sir Justin Sheil (1803-1871), Irish general and diplomatist, son of Edward Sheil, and brother of Richard Lalor Sheil, born at Bellevue House, near Waterford
Norman Leslie Sheil (1932-2018), British two-time gold medalist racing cyclist from Liverpool
Richard Lalor Sheil (1791-1851), Irish politician, writer and orator, born at Drumdowney, co. Kilkenny, the eldest son of Edward Sheil and Catherine MacCarthy of Spring House, co. Tipperary
Ainslie Glenister Ross Sheil (b. 1933), Australian rugby union player
Kate Sheil, Australian stage and television actress
Edward Sheil (1851-1915), Irish nationalist politician
Laurence Bonaventure Sheil (1815-1872), Australian clergyman and the third Bishop of Adelaide
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Sheil family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Michael S. Sheil, English Saloon Steward from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 8

The Sheil Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Vincit qui patitur
Motto Translation: He conquers who endures.

Sources +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/captain-cook
South Australian Register Tuesday 9th January 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Coromandel 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/coromandel1855.shtml
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/